Mocidade Independente De Padre Miguel "Bateria Nota 10" (Top Tape, 1975)
Originally an outgrowth of a popular soccer team, this samba escola became one of the most popular and successful Carnaval bands, starting in the late 1950s, and continuing on through the present day. Tracks by the band frequently appear on compliation albums of batucada percussion, and their own albums pop up from time to time. The band's signature instrumentation and breakneck pacing seldom vary, so they may best be taken in small doses.

Mocidade Independente De Padre Miguel "Batucada - Percussions Du Bresil" (Iris Musique, 1990)
As with other albums by this popular escola, this features plenty of high-power, infectious percussion, delivered at an unvaried breakneck clatter. Again, there's not a lot of stylistic breadth here, but the performances are pretty stunning. This collection has since been superceded by a double disc set, also on the same French label (reviewed below).

Mocidade Independente De Padre Miguel "Batucada Brasileira" (Iris Musique, 2002)
This time around, the Iris label has put together a full 2-CD set, expanding on the album listed above, and apparently all drawn from records of the late 1970s. Again, not a lot of stylistic variation, but top-flight, rapid-fire percussion from a world class outfit. The escola's website has more information, including their ongoing Carnaval plans.

Mocidade Independente De Padre Miguel "Fantastica Batucada - Percussions Du Bresil" (Iris Musique, 2005)
More of the same -- great batucada percussion, repackaged once again. But still great stuff.

Modulo 1000 "Nao Fale Com Paredes" (Top Tape, 1970)
I have a somewhat suspicious mind, so when I finally got around to checking out this "legendary lost album" from the early 1970s, I immediately wondered if it was a hoax... I mean, here was a wild-sounding psych-prog/heavy rock group from the tropicalia era that, for all its clumsiness, kind of blows the big name artists such as Os Mutantes and Caetano Veloso out of the water, at least in terms of being a real, live cutting-edge, contemporary hard rock band. The crude, cutting, wailing, electric lead guitar, the sludgy, Sabbath-esque proto-metal riffs, the gutteral, faux-liturgical vocals and the deep plunges into tranq-rock territory are so blazingly authentic and so completely divorced from what 99% of the rest of Brazil was into, it's really quite remarkable. This Rio-based band was in touch with elements of the American-British hard rock scene that loftier artistes such as Veloso and Gilberto Gil had little interest in. Crunchy, grungy, sloppy bands such as Steppenwolf and Iron Butterfly seem as much a part of their palatte as do Hendrix and krautrockers like Can -- I'm not saying this is great music, or that I'd really want to listen to it on a rainy day at home, but it's got a lot of historical heft, in terms of it's hipness, relative to what was happening elsewhere in the world. If you're into freaky acid rock from the 'Sixties and 'Seventies, you'll want to check this one out. (PS - oh yeah, by the way, it's not a hoax. For more info, contact the reissue label, World In Sound.)

Tony Mola "Bragada" (Blue Jackel)
In the 1990s, Bahia-born drummer Tony Mola was a pioneer of the Brazilian pop-samba-Caribbean fusion known as axe music. This album is a strong, poppy blend of forro and axe pop, smoothly incorporating galloping, clattering Afro-Brasilian percussion as well as Caribbean-flavored soca arrangements. The drumming may be a little too muted in the mix, but still this is a pleasant, listenable album, with warm lead and bright chorus vocals.

Tony Mola & Bragada "Quebra Mola" (Blue Jackel, 1998)
A sharp, punchy mix of forro, soca-tinged pop, and rapid-fire bloco afro style percussion. The album starts on a sour note (bad rock guitars), and about half the tracks on here don't do much for me. The other half are irresistible, though, with infectious melodies and seductive rhythm. Recommended.

Tony Mola "Samba + Samba" (Blue Jackel, 2006)
Sweet, understated samba with soft, compelling, bossa-influenced vocals, a gentle croon set to willowy mandolins and insistent, yet muted, Afro-Brazilian drumming. This time around Mola has altogether dropped the pop/axe elements of his earlier albums, presenting an elegant, mature work that harkens back to the 1970s-era pagode style... Very pretty and very listenable. Recommended!

Molejo "Grupo Molejo" (Warner/Continental, 1994)
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Molejo "Volume 2" (Warner/Continental, 1995)
Thoroughly generic, unchallenging and quite enjoyable modern pagode pop... You can totally understand why they were popular on Brazilian pop radio... This is nothing magical, but it's nice to listen to in the background.

Molejo "Nao Quero Saber De Ti Ti Ti" (Warner/Continental, 1996)

Molejo "Brincadeira Da Crianca" (Warner/Continental, 1997)
Catchy, buoyant pagode samba, with characteristic strummed guitar and bright backup chorus. Plenty of infectious melodies; despite the modern pop production, this is still quite enjoyable.

Molejo "Familia" (Warner, 1998)
More bouncy, brainless "pagode" pop of the late 1990s... Formulaic and mindlessly perky, but quite enjoyable. Pretty fun, actually.

Molejo "Polivalencia" (Warner/Continental, 2000)

Molejo "Alo Comunidade: 15 Anos Ao Vivo" (2006)

Moleque De Rua "Moleque De Rua" (Sony Brasil, 1992)
There are a couple of good tunes on this intriguing but awkward mix of samba and slick rock-pop. The gimmick is that this band features several poor street kids, straight from the Sao Paulo favelas, banging away on percussive instruments made from tin cans, trash can lids and other scrap metal. THAT sounds interesting, but the pop music draped around it is too pervasive, and you never get to hear the kids get sloppy, mean and gritty. Worth checking out, though.

Moleque De Rua "Pimenta Malagueta" (2002)

Moleque De Rua "Final Feliz" (2007)

Momo "A Estetica Do Rebisco" (Dubas, 2007)
(Produced by Marcelo Frota)
An unusual and entirely atypical Brazilian rock album, drawing heavily on the space-rock and soft-prog sounds of the early 1970s. Bowie, Syd Barrett, the gentler side of Pink Floyd and a gazillion less well-remembered psychedelic strummers of that era are evoked in this gentle, diffuse album, a collection of spaced-out songs that is unlike any other Brazilian record I've ever heard. (Perhaps Otto's trip-hoppy electronica comes closest...) Singer/keyboardist Marcelo Frota is the main creative force, although several of the songs are co-written with others (anyone know if co-composer Alvinho Lancellotti is related to Domenico Lancellotti, of the Moreno Veloso/+2 crew? Just wondering.) It's nice stuff: folks who dig Davendra Banhart and his brand of freak-folk might also get a kick out of this odd, dreamy disc. Worth checking out!

Monarco "Monarco" (Continental, 1976)

Monarco "Terreiro" (Eldorado, 1980)

Monarco "A Voz Do Samba" (Kuarup, 1992)

Monarco "Uma Historia Do Samba" (Rob Digital, 2004)

Monobloco "Monobloco 2002" (Universal, 2002)
A lively batucada percussion-oriented offshoot of Pedro Luis E A Parede... This popular Rio band mixes soul-samba, rap and rock influences, all woven into a drum-heavy mix. Where Olodum's pop crossovers seem anchored in the 1980s, Monobloco are quite a bit more modern. Definitely worth checking out.

Monobloco "Ao Vivo" (Som Livre, 2006)

Monobloco "Ao Vivo" (DVD) (Som Livre, 2006)
A video version of the live album from 2006... Includes opening and closing numbers that are not on the CD.

Monokini "Mondo Topless" (Bizarre, 1998)
Yay...! A Sao Paulo rock band with some nice, uncomplicated hipsterrific indie-pop, which ranges from bouncy, brainless power-pop to Bacharach-tinged Stereolabbiness... Very much in keeping with all the twee stuff that was going on in the UK and US around the same time. If you like artists such as Stereo Total, April March or Die Moulinettes, then this disc is for you. Extra points for keeping the lyrics (when there are lyrics) in Portuguese... Much appreciated!

Monsueto/Various Artists "Musica Popular Brasileira -- Grandes Autores" (RCA-Camden, 1973)
A tribute to samba/pop songwriter Monsueto Menezes, released just after his death in 1973, with classic 1950s "radio singers" recordings from some of the older, original interpreters of his music, such as Linda Batista, Angela Maria and Marlene, as well as one track featuring Monsueto himself, and an opening track from Maria Bethania, who at the time was perhaps the biggest star in Brazil. This collection probably felt pretty antiquated and anachronistic even when it came out, but it stands up to the test of time, and is a fitting tribute to this prolific composer.

Monsueto/Various Artists "Serie Raizes Do Samba" (EMI, 2000)

Marisa Monte - see artist discography

Cyro Monteiro/Aracy De Almeida "Sambistas De Fato" (Revivendo)
A delightful collection of prime oldies by two great romantic samba cancao vocalists, whose work is now forgotten in the misty past of nostalgia. Evenly split between the two of them, with ten tracks apiece, this disc covers the years 1935-1948, and is chock full of wonderfully melodic choro tinged material. Monteiro's 1945 novelty hit, "Boogie Woogie Na Favela," is a nice crossover tune, although the rest of the album is packed with straight-ahead samba. Great stuff -- highly recommended!

Cyro Monteiro "Mestre Do Samba" (BMG-RCA Brasil, 2004)
Prime material from 1934-1947, old-school samba-cancao at its finest, including an elegant, lively 1944 hit version of "Falsa Baiana." Monteiro's vocals are smooth and understated, yet energetic and compelling, the very picture of soulfulness and economy, and the bands behind him are uniformly top-notch. This is a very good collection, only sixteen songs, but all of them are great, and the sound quality if top notch. A must-have for fans of pre-bossa nova Brazilian pop.

Cyro Monteiro "De Vinicius E Baden" (Elenco, 1966)
The fabled samba crooner takes on the work of bossa poet and guitar genius Baden Powell... This is one of the nicer and more atypical of the mid-'60s Elenco releases, as producer Aloysio Oliveira soft-pedals the modern production and lets an old star just do his stuff. Although Monteiro is singing their songs, this doesn't sound that much like the eerie, transcendent music being made by the bossa crowd... But it's still pretty cool!

Cyro Monteiro & Elizeth Cardoso "A Bossa Eterna De Elizeth E Cyro" (Copacabana, 1966)

Cyro Monteiro & Elizeth Cardoso "A Bossa Eterna De Elizeth E Cyro, v.2" (Copacabana, 1969)

Cyro Monteiro "Serie Raizes Do Samba" (EMI, 2000)
An interesting overview of Monteiro's career, mainly focussed on his 1960s comeback. This kicks off with several live tracks from a 1968 album called Mudando De Conversa, (which also featured performances from Clementina De Jesus and Nora Ney, as well as the Conjunto Rosa De Ouro, who I believe are backing Montiero here...) There's an all-too brief dip back into Monteiro's early years, with a 1937 recording of "Perdoa," followed by some more live material and later recordings from the late 1960s, including some of his duets with Elizeth Cardoso. The live tracks, in particular, show how fervently the Brazilian audiences still greeted this old samba-cancao warhorse.

Doris Monteiro - see artist discography

Oswaldo Montenegro "Trilhas" (Independente, 1979)

Oswaldo Montenegro "Poeta Maldito... Moleque Vadio" (WEA, 1979)

Oswaldo Montenegro "Oswaldo Montenegro" (WEA-Atlantic, 1980)
His third album --an obviously impassioned, but rather cluttered mix of regional styles and more modern, sometime avant rock and pop, with over-the-top emoting mixed into a somewhat dense musical collage. This disc is really all over the place, with Montenegro skipping from style to style, tone to tone and tempo to tempo; fans of Milton Nascimento and Lo Borges may find this similarly interesting, although Montenegro has more of an overt rock edge... The music rarely moved me on an emotional level, but the ultra-eclectic vibe was pretty interesting intellectually. Some odd touches, like a bluegrassy banjo on one song, and one short track that featured a backwards tape loop of some Portuguese-language vocals (which sounds pretty cool...) Kooky and eclectic; I'm not entirely sure what to make of it!

Oswaldo Montenegro "Oswaldo Montenegro" (Som Livre, 1990)
By this point, Montenegro has pretty much thrown in his lot as a romantic singer, gliding in a deep croon over fairly oceanic string arrangements... However, there's an unusual, eclectic edge to his work, even amid the syrupy pop-jazz production... His acoustic guitar work has a dripping tone, echoing the haunting style of the Portuguese fado; elsewhere he mixes in some Indian tabla drumming, a bit of American-style talking blues. I would hardly recommend this record -- it's very cheesy -- but within the context of cheesy Brazilian pop, it has an innovative tone, and a certain something that makes it stand out.

Oswaldo Montenegro "Ao Vivo: 25 Anos" (Warner, 2005)
A 2-CD live set, recorded in honor of his 25th anniversary on the Warner label.

Mopho "Mopho" (Baratos Afins, 2000)
Cool stuff! Definitely off the beaten track as far as Brazilian pop goes... indiepop isn't really big in Brazil, and the hometown bands are incredibly hard to track down, even down there. This is fairly trippy, psychedelia-tinged power-pop that seems to take its cues from old George Harrison and Badfinger albums, with a touch of "heavier" rock ala Rod Argent and the like. Although this Sao Paulo band has its limitations, it's still pretty fun to hear these old '70s boogie rock and lush, Beatles-y pop riffs fronted by Portuguese vocals. Several songs are catchy and stand up on their merit -- lighthearted, dreamy, and definitely worth checking out either as an indie fan or as a Brazilian rock buff. (NOTE: the Baratos Afins record store, which put this album out, is probably the only place you're likely to find this album. Check out their website from the link above for mailorder info, as well as info on other Brazilian indie bands. Mopho is also profiled in an online article in the Brazilian e-zine PopBook.)

Katia Moraes "Ten Feet And The Sun" (1997)

Katia Moraes & Sambaguru "Ginga" (Sugarcane, 1999)
First-rate jazz-MPB vocals in the style of Elis Regina and Gal Costa. Moraes has a sweet, clear voice and sharp phrasing, and is obviously well-versed in Brazilian musical history (the album opens with an homage to various musicians). Likewise, her band, Sambaguru, play tightly and with feeling, covering a wide variety of styles including jazz, samba, axe, and even a bit of Indian classical. It has a few predictable pop foibles, but compared to much of the '70s MPB this is modeled on, this album is a paragon of restraint. Hopefully being based in LA, rather than Rio, won't count against these folks -- they sound great, and deserve a wide audience. For more info, visit their website at: http://www.katiamoraes.com.

Katia Moraes & Sambaguru "Live: April 11-12th, 2003" (Kufala, 2003)
A fine live set, recorded in a Studio City, CA nightclub, under what must have been ideal conditions. The sound quality of these recordings is remarkably good, and is matched by the enthusiasm of Moraes and her band. Her similarity to Clara Nunes becomes even more apparent, although there's also a strong jazz element at play here. Most of the songs here are originals, co-written with pianist Bill Brendle, and are of a par with the cover tunes they choose, material by the likes of Joao Bosco, Djavan, Sivuca and Hermeto Pascoal... there's even a tune here by modern rocker Lenine! Two CDs worth of fine material, released on CDR, but still well worth checking out.

Katia Moraes & Sambaguru "Navegar Ao Sol" (Moondo, 2005)

Moraes Moreira - see artist discography

Jacques Morelenbaum - see artist discography

Clara Moreno "Clara Moreno" (1996)

Clara Moreno "Mutante" (Timewarp, 1999)

Clara Moreno "Morena Bossa Nova" (Ybrasil?, 2002)

Clara Moreno "Meu Samba Torto" (Atracao/Compass, 2007)
A sweet set of classic-sounding, acoustic-based Brazilian bossa nova, with delicate but confident vocals by Clara Moreno and gorgeous accompaniment by singer-guitarist Celso Fonseca. It's a somewhat staid set -- Moreno follows a conservative, classicist's path, dipping back into the treasure trove of 1930s samba-cancao for gems by Ary Barroso, Joao de Barro, Lupicino Rodrigues, bossa-era ballads and sambas by Elton Medeiros, Durival Ferreira and Jorge Ben, along with three modern compositions from Fonseca and one tune from her mother, MPB-jazz legend, Joyce. Joyce plays guitar on two tracks (including one new song she wrote especially for this record) while and her partner, Tutty Moreno (Clara's step-father), plays drums and percussion on about half the album. Add bassist/producer Rodolfo Stroeter, into the mix, and you've got a fine album crafted by some of Brazil's best players. The album is very sweet, and while Moreno doesn't take many risks, she does make beautiful music, particularly when harmonizing with Fonseca (who is still a dead ringer for the legendary Caetano Veloso...) Definitely worth checking out.

Paulinho Moska "Votande" (EMI-Odeon, 1994)
The first solo album from a former member of the vocal chorus Garganta Profunda and the rock band Inimigos Do Rei...

Paulinho Moska "Pensar E Fazer Musica" (EMI-Odeon, 1995)

Paulinho Moska "Atraves Do Espelho" (EMI-Odeon, 1997)
A live album...

Paulinho Moska "Contrasenso" (EMI, 1997)

Paulinho Moska "Mobile" (EMI, 1999)

Paulinho Moska "Eu Falso Da Minha Vida O Que Eu Quiser" (EMI, 2001)

Paulinho Moska "Tudo Novo De Novo" (EMI, 2004)

Paulinho Moska "+ Novo De Novo" (Som Livre, 2007)

Paulinho Moska "+ Novo De Novo" (DVD) (Som Livre, 2007)

Paulinho Moska "Serie Bis" (EMI, 2000)
A 2-CD best-of set covering his tenure on the EMI label...

The Mosquitos "Mosquitos" (Bar None, 2003)
An absolute delight. Finding the perfect midway point between Brazilian cool and sugary indiepop twee, New York's Mosquitos feature vocals by Juju Stulbach, a Rio-born expatriate who combines the airy, insouciance of Astrud Gilberto with the flip, casual, DIY mellowness of the North American cutesy-pop crowd. There's a relaxed love of melody that suggests a debt to Yo La Tengo, as well as a simplicity and cleanness of line that brings The Bats to mind... Stulbach's Portuguese-language vocals are a highlight, with a fluidity and good-natured tone that should draw in any devotee of classic, roller-rinky Brazilian pop, as well as fans of BMX Bandits, Beat Happening and the whole Pacific Northwest lo-fi scene. Admittedly, the cutesy, naifish English-language lyrics of singer-guitarist Chris Root don't hold up as well to repeated listenings, but they put the record into the right context... In short, this is the perfect twee-pop album that native Brazilian indie bands have yet to create: it's lovely and dreamy, full of pretty sounds and foreign words... and I like it a lot!

The Mosquitos "Sunshine Barato" (Bar None, 2004)
This disc continues on the much same path as the first Mosquitos set, though perhaps with more of an indiepop inclination, but the Brazilianness is still there, too. Perhaps because they are now a known quantity, this disc is a little less striking than its predecessor, but it's still pretty cute and pretty cool. A fun splash in the sun, with lots of perky melodies and catchy, playful hooks.

The Mosquitos "III" (Bar None, 2006)

Moto Perpetuo "Moto Perpetuo" (Warner, 1974)
(Produced by Peninha Schmidt)
A noteworthy pop-rock album, featuring contributions from songwriter (and future solo artists) Guilherme Arantes and guitarist Egidio Conde (who later joined the experimental band, Som Nosso De Cada Dia).

Ed Motta "...& Conexao Japeri" (WEA, 1988)

Ed Motta "Um Contrato Com Deus" (WEA, 1990)

Ed Motta "Entre E Ouca" (Warner, 1992)
An early album by soul-funk revivalist Ed Motta. It's okay; he's very competent at the style, and could give Bobby Brown or Jermaine Jackson a run for their money. Still, with the exception of a song or two, it's not very original sounding -- slick pop-soul music just like they make in the United States, just sung em Portugese, rather than in English. Motta also doesn't have what I'd consider a great voice, but I guess he has his moments. The song "Que Tal Londres" was pretty cool. with unusual, bluesy arrangements and a spate of Southern rock electric guitars, not music that you hear often in Brazilian pop. This album didn't wow me, but I guess it's worth checking out.

Ed Motta "Ao Vivo" (Warner, 1994)

Ed Motta "Geracao Pop" (Warner, 1996)

Ed Motta "Manual Pratico Para Festas, Bailes & Afins, v.1" (Universal, 1997)

Ed Motta "As Segundas Intencoes" (Mercury/Universal, 2000)
Wow... call me naive, but I can barely believe that there's anyone this disco-retro still running around on the face of the planet. I mean, not disco-retro as in Dmitri From Paris-hey-look-how-cute-to-sample-from-the-past retro, but as in, hey-look-I-was-disco-decades-ago-and-I-still-haven't-changed-a-bit retro. You'd think that Motta, who is Braz-soul pioneer Tim Maia's nephew, would have to be an old-timer to sound this old-school, but he's actually pretty darn young. Born in 1971, Motta is clearly into the disco and soul thing as a revivalist... Not my cup of tea, but I guess I can see the appeal.

Ed Motta "Dwizta" (Universal, 2002)

Ed Motta "Poptical" (Trama, 2003)

Ed Motta "Aystelum" (Trama, 2005)

Ed Motta "e-Collection" (WEA, 2000)
On this 2-CD hits & rarities collection, Motta cruises through a wide variety of pop-soul styles, from the tackiest disco to the goofiest funk. This covers his work from 1988-93. At various times he's comparable to Lionel Richie, Barry White, Bobbie McFerrin or Maurice White; the "raridades" disc is packed with various musical vignettes of frustrating brevity -- his stabs at reggae and blues are genuinely intriguing, but they don't last long. On the other hand, a bunch of the live tracks are kind of frighteningly long. Motta's style is too commercial for my tastes, but others might find this to be a nice entry into the world of Brazilian soul. A duet with Marisa Monte ("Ainda Lembro") is very nice.

Ed Motta "Serie Warner: 25 Anos" (WEA/Warner, 2001)

Ed Motta "Perfil" (Universal, 2003)

Zeze Motta & Conrad Gerson "Conrad Gerson & Zeze Motta" (Som Livre, 1975)

Zeze Motta "Zeze Motta" (WEA-Atlantic, 1978)

Zeze Motta "Negritude" (WEA-Atlantic, 1979)
Fun stuff! A lively acoustic samba album with a strong crosscurrent of Cuban son, and a whiff of MPB-style jazz. The musicians are mostly folks I've never heard of, which -- when the record is as nice as this one -- is always a nice thing. Recommended!

Zeze Motta "Dengo" (WEA-Atlantic, 1980)

Zeze Motta "Fragil Forca" (Pointer, 1985)

Zeze Motta "Chave Con Sagredos" (Movieplay, 1995)

Zeze Motta "Geracao Samba" (1996)

Zeze Motta "Divina Saudade" (Albatroz, 2000)

Zeze Motta "Dois Momentos" (WEA, 2002)

Zeze Motta "e-Collection" (WEA, 2002)
A 2-CD set, one disc of hits, another of rarities and odds'n'ends...

Paulo Moura - see artist discography

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